In retail sales, including and especially those pertaining to gifts, electronics, and food items, there is a need for packaging design that is inexpensively manufactured and storable in a flattened condition until ready for use. In such environments, the flattened packaging design must be easily assembled with minimal effort and the packaging design must provide an interior holding compartment for storing an item, protecting the item from significant damage resulting from an impact of the kind experienced during shipping or handling.
In housewares, including and especially those pertaining to kitchen and bathroom containers, there is a need for durable container design that serves a practical function in the kitchen or bathroom, such as the function of collecting garbage, holding washed dishware for drying, or straining pasta or vegetables. Containers for these purposes must be easily cleaned and stored and they often require handles for easy transportation, filling, and emptying. There is also a need to minimize the amount of space required for storage of such containers when the container is not in use given that storage space in most kitchens and bathrooms is limited.
Therefore, the invention as disclosed herein pertains generally to a container design that combines various attributes desirable for use in retail sales or in kitchens and bathrooms, or in other fields of use where the claimed containers would provide value. Particularly, the invention as disclosed herein combines the attributes of inexpensive manufacture, durability, collapsibility, and ease of assembly with minimal effort.